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America’s Long Struggle against Slavery is your chance to survey the history of the American anti-slavery movement, from the dawn of the transatlantic slave trade during the late 15th century to the end of Reconstruction in 1877 and beyond. Taught by Professor Richard Bell of the University of Maryland, these 30 eye-opening lectures give you an up-close view of a venal institution and the people who fought against it—and who often paid for their courage with their lives.

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America’s Long Struggle against Slavery is your chance to survey the history of the American anti-slavery movement, from the dawn of the transatlantic slave trade during the late 15th century to the end of Reconstruction in 1877 and beyond. Taught by Professor Richard Bell of the University of Maryland, these 30 eye-opening lectures give you an up-close view of a venal institution and the people who fought against it—and who often paid for their courage with their lives.

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30 Lectures
| America's Long Struggle Against Slavery

Lecture Titles (30)

1

Understanding the Fight against Slavery

Begin your course with an exploration of the long war against slavery, which began centuries before the American Civil War. Professor Bell offers a survey of resistance among enslaved Africans in the 17th and 18th centuries and outlines five generational periods in the long struggle to end slavery. x

2

Origins of Slavery in the British Empire

Slavery in the British Empire has its roots in the trading economy of the 16th century. See how the Englishman John Hawkins cut into the Portuguese slave trade in the New World, which led to the founding of the Royal African Company, the largest slaving operation in the Atlantic. x

3

Opposing the African Slave Trade

The American slave trade began in Africa. It is an uncomfortable truth that African rulers and merchants played a hand in supplying slaves to Europeans. However, a look at the African continent also shows us the first strategies of resistance, from defensively trying to elude capture to offensive efforts to get away from the hellish confinement of European forts. x

4

Shipboard Rebellion and Resistance

Leaving the continent of Africa, the second place for resistance was aboard the slave ships as they departed for the Caribbean. Although we have limited historical records, this lecture explores the suicides, runaways, and revolts on slave ships, as well as the efforts made by Europeans to control the enslaved. x

5

A Free Black Family in Colonial Virginia

Shift your attention to the Chesapeake tobacco economy in the 17th century, a time when colonial law changed in a way that would promote the slave economy. First, you will meet Anthony Johnson, a freed slave who in turn held his own slaves. Then, see how Bacon's Rebellion paved the way for slave codes that changed the social order in Virginia. x

6

Quakers and Puritans Join the Fight

Where were the moral voices among white Europeans speaking out against the heinous system of slavery? The American Quaker community had a long history of antislavery activism, from legal pamphlets to spiritual protests. Learn more about the Quaker community, its views on slavery, and its limitations in the early American economy. x

7

Thomas Thistlewood's Plantation Revolution

One hallmark of the plantation economy in Barbados, Jamaica, and South Carolina is that black slaves outnumbered their white masters by a wide margin. As such, see how whites used dehumanizing tactics to control the slave population. Then review Tacky's Revolt, one of the largest slave rebellions in the British Atlantic world during the 18th century. x

8

Phibbah Thistlewood: Sleeping with the Enemy

Among runaway slaves, men outnumbered women nearly two to one, but that doesn't mean women played no role in resistance. As this lecture will make clear, women practiced several strategies for resistance-critically important because of the prevalence of assault on plantations. A woman named Phibbah provides a fascinating case study. x

9

Slave Insurrections in the 18th Century

Although there may have been several hundred slave uprisings in British North America and the United States, most of them were minor-or possibly even imagined by paranoid slave masters. Here, delve into the Stono Rebellion of 1739, which was the only significant armed challenge to slaveholders' supremacy on the mainland before the 19th century. x

10

Maroons: Those Who Escaped

Runaway slaves in Virginia and the Carolinas had limited options. They could head for the coast or down to Spanish-controlled Florida, but some runaway slaves simply disappeared into the backcountry. Find out where these maroons" went, how they lived, and what dangers they faced if discovered." x

11

Three Quaker Activists

Meet three important Quaker activists from the 17th and 18th centuries: a fiery hermit writer named Benjamin Lay, a shopkeeper and essayist named John Woolman, and a schoolteacher named Anthony Benezet, who set up Philadelphia's first Free African School. Reflect on the transformation in attitudes that was occurring during the 18th century. x

12

Slavery in the War for Independence

While American colonists fought for independence against their British oppressors, the war provided free and enslaved African Americans an opportunity to fight their own war against slavery. Professor Bell introduces you to black militiamen and soldiers on both sides of the Revolutionary War, and reveals the setbacks they faced after the war. x

13

Taking Slavery to Court

The American Revolution marked a watershed in the history of opposition to African slavery in America. In northern states, Pennsylvania led the charge in legal changes that would lead to gradual abolition. While abolition efforts failed in southern states, some individual slaves were able to strike deals with their masters for manumission. x

14

Charles Pinckney's Counterrevolution

While many abolition efforts started to take hold after the American Revolution, an equally powerful revolution was underway to secure the slave system. Here, you will review the reprehensible three-fifths clause and other pro-slavery measures in the 1787 Constitution, which would take antislavery activists decades to undo. x

15

The Haitian Revolution

Between 1791 and 1804, the Haitian Revolution tore apart a French Caribbean colony. As you will learn, not only was it the single largest slave revolt in the history of the world, it was the only one that had succeeded so far. Delve into this radical and violent revolution to meet the players and uncover what happened in these 13 astonishing years. x

16

Founding the Free Black Churches

There is more to fighting slavery than achieving legal liberty, a simple truth that this country's first generation of free black leaders discovered in post-Revolutionary War northern cities. See how the expanding free black population in Philadelphia, New York, and elsewhere looked for ways to help themselves. x

17

The Second Middle Passage

At the turn of the 19th century, social and economic conditions were shifting inside the United States, and President Jefferson signed into law an act prohibiting the importation of slaves. Learn about the mass migration of slaves from Virginia into the Deep South of Louisiana that resulted, and how this migration transformed the country. x

18

Our Native Country: Opposing Colonization

Delve into the colonization movement, an effort that sprang to life in the 1810s to send black people from America to Africa. Consider the questions this movement posed for African Americans: Where was home? Were they African or American? Where did they belong? Investigate both sides of this controversial movement. x

19

David Walker, Nat Turner, and Black Immediatism

Writer David Walker and insurrectionist Nat Turner transformed the debate about slavery in America. Their immediate words and deeds terrorized southern slaveholders as never before and forced legislators to articulate just how far they would go to protect the institution of slavery. Meet these extraordinary men and witness their actions. x

20

William Lloyd Garrison's "Thousand Witnesses"

David Walker's words and Nat Turner's actions had a galvanizing effect upon white abolitionists, most notably William Lloyd Garrison. See how Garrison and others shifted from an attitude of slow, gradual change to a stance of immediacy. Survey an unprecedented campaign to challenge slaveholders' moral authority in the 1830s. x

21

Surviving King Cotton

The mass migration of the Second Middle Passage changed the nature of resistance to slavery. Responding to the threat of separation from their families and opposition to their sale to the Deep South, slaves participated in multifaceted and unrelenting resistance. Survey this struggle and these troubling times. x

22

Roger Taney: Nationalizing Slavery

Learn about the confounding life of Roger Taney, who as a young man turned his back on his family's tobacco plantation and manumitted many of his own slaves. Yet, as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, he dramatically expanded the rights of slaveholders through infamous decisions such as Dred Scott v. Sanford. x

23

Frederick Douglass and Aggressive Abolition

In the wake of a financial crash in 1837, Garrison's abolition movement was sidelined, but the 1840s and 1850s saw the rise of an even more radical and aggressive phase of American abolitionism. Meet Frederick Douglass, review his writings, and consider the depictions of suicide in antislavery writing. x

24

Harriet Beecher Stowe and Harriet Tubman

Uncle Tom's Cabin was a blockbuster novel that depicted the flight to freedom. Consider this depiction from two very different vantages: the world of the author, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and the life of Harriet Tubman, who was at the center of immediate and decisive steps being taken by enslaved people. x

25

The Black Heart of John Brown

John Brown's failed raid on Harpers Ferry is one of the most famous antislavery actions before the Civil War. Who was he, and why was this raid so important? Was it an act of revolution or terrorism? Reflect on the irony that he achieved in death what he so palpably failed to achieve in life. x

26

The Slaves' Experience of the Civil War

From the beginning of the war, enslaved people understood it to be a war of freedom, a war to destroy American slavery. But President Lincoln's charge was simply to preserve the union. Find out how this tension played out on plantations and battlefields, in Congress and in the White House, during the Civil War. x

27

US Colored Troops: Those Who Served

Continue your study of the Civil War with a look at the role of black soldiers. Review what life was like for them in a predominantly white army, and the ill treatment many received. Then shift your attention to the role of black women during the war, many of whom served as cooks and nurses in Union hospitals. Survey the incredible wartime career of Harriet Tubman. x

28

Fighting Slavery after Emancipation

The end of the Civil War brought legalized slavery in the United States to an end, and 3.5 million freed slaves in the South stepped into an uncertain future. Dive into some of the many challenges Americans-white and black, southern and northern-faced in the subsequent years. x

29

Slavery by Another Name

Although the 13th Amendment outlawed race slavery in America and the Civil War is far in the past, the legacy of slavery and the fight for equal protection and representation among black Americans has been an ongoing struggle. Reflect on the effects of Jim Crow, the civil rights movement, and the state of race relations in America today. x

30

Fighting Modern Slavery

The history of the early 21st century may show racism is alive and well-but so, too, is slavery. Around the world, 20 to 40 million people are enslaved. To conclude this course, survey several case studies of slaves around the world and in the United States. What lessons can we draw from history? x

Discover how to translate your life into captivating, resonant stories with Writing Your Story, by acclaimed memoirist Joyce Maynard. In 26 lessons with the feel of a friendly, collaborative writing workshop, you’ll explore how to identify the right stories to tell; examine tips and tricks with language, dialogue, and description; and find inspiration for everything from cultivating a writing practice to handling rejection.

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Discover how to translate your life into captivating, resonant stories with Writing Your Story, by acclaimed memoirist Joyce Maynard. In 26 lessons with the feel of a friendly, collaborative writing workshop, you’ll explore how to identify the right stories to tell; examine tips and tricks with language, dialogue, and description; and find inspiration for everything from cultivating a writing practice to handling rejection.

View Lecture List (26)

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26 Lectures
| Writing Your Story

Lecture Titles (26)

1

What Happens When We Keep Secrets?

Many of us have a story about ourselves that we want to tell, but some of us are scared to tell the messy, complicated truths about a human life. In this introductory lesson, discover why it's the moments of discord and conflict-moments we often try to keep secret-that make for the most memorable personal memoirs. x

2

Name Your Obsessions

What if you have no idea what to write about? One strategy for getting started that you'll learn about here is making a list of all your obsessions in life. Once you've done that, it's time to go a little deeper, and ask: Why are you obsessed with the things on your list? x

3

Stick to Your Story

When sitting down to write the story of our life, we have a tendency to talk about other people (say, our fascinating grandmother) or to simply run through a resume of big events. In this lesson, learn the importance of sticking to your story-not someone else's-and taking your reader on an adventure. x

4

Identify Your Journey

Here, Maynard teaches you how to move your personal story along by identifying the journey it will take. You used to be A, and now you are B. It's a simple formula, but when you plug in variables from your life, it indicates motion and change. It can also become the skeleton of the story you have to tell. x

5

Take Your Story Apart

You've identified what you want to write about. Now what? It's time to take your story apart. Consider the importance of the point of view from which you plan to write. Are you looking back on earlier events? Are you writing as if you were living an event in the moment? x

6

The Landing Place

Using powerful examples from essays by authors and columnists, discover why it's so important to determine where your reader lands at the beginning of your journey. What makes a unique point of entry for a personal essay? Is it always smart to begin at the very beginning? x

7

The Honesty Question

Writing a good personal story is, first and foremost, about having courage. Here, learn why it's not your job to take care of all the other characters in your life and why every good memoirist writes as if they were an orphan-an idea that's at the core of exceptional memoir writing. x

8

What's the Worst That Can Happen?

In this inspirational lesson, Maynard helps you come to terms with the anxieties that can plague a writer setting out to tell a personal story. Even if what you end up writing stays in a drawer forever, you'll have told the truth-and you'll be a different person for it. x

9

Descriptive versus Interpretive Language

Turn now to some important tools that can help create drama, tension, color, and surprise in your writing. Here, the focus is on descriptive versus interpretive language. Discover why it's more important to use language that allows readers to make their own assessments of the pictures you paint with words. x

10

Diagramming the Sentence

Diagramming your sentences isn't just about old fuddy-duddy grammar. It's about identifying whether or not you're accomplishing what you're trying to do in your writing. Maynard diagrams some student sentences to highlight how they do (and do not) tell a story in the most powerful, dramatic way possible. x

11

The Importance of Economy

So many of us, when writing, want to check the word count to make sure we have the most words down possible. But good personal writing isn't about how many words you use-it's about using the right words. In this lesson, learn the benefits of writing as if every word you use costs you five dollars. x

12

Dialogue and Rhythm

How do you create rhythm in your writing? What goes into powerful dialogue? Learn the answers to these questions in this lesson that tackles how to write dialogue that sounds like real life (but better) and how to employ-and improve-the rhythm of your writing by varying the length of your sentences. x

13

Six Common Mistakes Writers Make

In this lesson, Maynard runs you through six common (and easily fixable) mistakes writers make. Among these red flags you'll learn to keep an eye out for: the glaring overuse of the verb to be" and an overdependence on adverbs and exclamation points to do all your work for you." x

14

The Paragraph

Forget what you might have learned in school about topic sentences and five-paragraph essays. Here, come to see the paragraph as a real tool of your writing that can do so much more than you imagined. Learn how to write powerful paragraphs, when to start a new paragraph, and some good signs your paragraphs are moving your story forward. x

15

Building the Arc

According to Maynard, every sentence is its own little story-which means there's drama in every single sentence you write. In this lesson, learn how to build around the powerful parts of an idea or scene or moment or even a word, so that the arc of your sentence guides the reader to a powerful ending. x

16

The Test of a Good Memoir

At the end of the day, the most important part of a good memoir is that it's written in the voice of a narrator (you) the reader likes and trusts. That's the focus here, along with Maynard's answers to audience questions about overusing the word I," using repetition to emphasize something, and more." x

17

The Container

You have a big story to tell and, once you start writing, it spills out all over the place. So what do you need? A container to put that story in. Come to see why short personal essays-which explore a big idea in a small, particular scene-make the perfect form for building your chops in hopes of writing a longer book. x

18

Two Containers from Scratch

Which containers are right for which stories? In this second lesson on the importance of containers for your writing, Maynard invites some of the writers from her audience to help them craft the right containers for their personal stories-and the big idea that encapsulates them. x

19

Developing Your Container

Here, continue exploring the concept of containers that allow you to explore global ideas. Central to this lesson is developing the container for a big story about a privileged family that looks good on the outside, but in reality is troubled by alcoholism and fighting parents. x

20

Dissecting a Good Container Essay

Join Maynard as she dissects a container essay she wrote in 2016 for the Modern Love" column in The New York Times. In the piece, "What Luck Means Now," she uses a single day in Boston to explore the big global idea of her marriage and the possibility of losing her husband." x

21

The Writing Life

What are the habits of a productive writing life? Discover some sources of inspiration from Maynard's own experiences. And while simple habits (like grinding coffee) aren't the magic bullet that will suddenly make your writing lyrical and successful, they can help you better navigate uncharted creative territory. x

22

Creating a Writing Practice

Cultivating a daily writing practice is important, whether you end up writing 1,000 words or just 50. Here, learn ways to create the kind of practice that suits you-whether it's working to music to create a mood, getting enough exercise, practicing journal writing, or blocking out the internet. x

23

What Gets in Your Way?

Writing about myself is narcissistic." "My family wasn't dysfunctional." "Everything's already been said before." "Nothing big ever happened to me." "I have no time." In this lesson, Maynard dispels these and other common thoughts that can get in your way when you sit down to write your personal story." x

24

The Not-Writing Process

You've spent a lot of time in this course exploring the writing process-now, Maynard discusses the not-writing process. Why is it so important to take time to think before we write? What are the benefits of opening yourself up to feedback? Is there such a thing as writing way too soon? x

25

Criticism and Rejection

Two of the biggest fears of any writer are criticism and rejection. Many times, they can freeze us, stop us from working, and make us feel like there's no point in pursuing our work. This lesson teaches you strategies to absorb and handle a part of writing (and publishing) that's common to everyone. x

26

What Happens When We Tell Our Truth?

While you've covered a lot of ground in the preceding lessons, conclude this course with a spirited exploration of the hardest part of writing. It's not the craft-it's the leap of faith that requires you to believe in yourself, in your own value, and in the compassion of your readers. x

The ancient Greeks, more than any other early culture, have given us the template for Western civilization. This course takes you from the great Classical and Hellenistic eras through Greece’s dramatic modern history. You’ll discover Greek culture in examples such as: Athenian democracy; Greek religious beliefs; Greek drama, epic poetry, and philosophy; and Greek sculpture, vase painting, and architecture.

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The ancient Greeks, more than any other early culture, have given us the template for Western civilization. This course takes you from the great Classical and Hellenistic eras through Greece’s dramatic modern history. You’ll discover Greek culture in examples such as: Athenian democracy; Greek religious beliefs; Greek drama, epic poetry, and philosophy; and Greek sculpture, vase painting, and architecture.

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24 Lectures
| The Greek World: A Study of History and Culture

Lecture Titles (24)

1

Why Study the Greek World?

Examine the many compelling reasons to study the ancient Greeks, from their phenomenal art and architecture to their philosophy, religion, and inventions of drama and democracy. Consider how we identify the Greeks, in cultural, historical and linguistic terms. Finally, note the influence of Greece's landscape and physical environment on the development and character of Greek civilization. x

2

Bronze Age Greece: Minoans and Myceneans

Trace the origins of human habitation on the mainland and islands of Greece. Study the Bronze Age cultures of the Cycladic islands; the famed Minoan civilization centered on Crete, with its palaces and religious ritual; and the Mycenaean civilization, with its monumental architecture and cultural artifacts. Learn about Mycenae's connection with the Trojan War, and what may have led to its collapse. x

3

Dark Age and Archaic Greece

Grasp the contours of Greece's Dark Age (1100-750 B.C.E.), an era of restricted trade and a breakdown of centralized power. Take note of the achievements of this epoch, such as iron technology, the Greek alphabet, and the advent of the Olympic Games. In the following Archaic Period, chart Greece's geographical expansion, creation of city-states, invention of coinage, and movement toward democracy. x

4

Classical Greece: The Age of Pericles

Take an overview of Greece's Classical Age, an astonishing period of human accomplishment, which the course will treat in detail. Explore defining events of the period, from the 479 B.C.E. defeat of the Persians, through the period of the Peloponnesian War, to the emergence of Macedonia as a great power and the exploits of Alexander. Learn about major innovations of the era, and discover the unique nature of Spartan society. x

5

Alexander the Great: Greek Culture Spreads

The conquests of Alexander the Great gave birth to the world we call Hellenistic. Observe how Alexander's military expansionism brought a vast geographical area under the influence of Greek civilization. Note how the conquered peoples embraced Hellenistic culture, how Alexander's empire fragmented after his death, and how the majestic city of Alexandria became a major center of learning. x

6

Greece, Rome, Byzantium, and Baghdad

Explore the fascinating and conflicted relationship between the Greeks and their Roman conquerors. Take account of the profound impact of Greek culture on Rome, and how the Romans both despised and admired the Greeks. Witness the founding of the Byzantine Empire, its flourishing of scholarship and theology, and the major role of Islamic scholars in preserving and disseminating Greek learning. x

7

Modern Ideas of Ancient Greece

With the fall of Constantinople in 1453, learn how the Greeks fared under Ottoman rule. Then trace the processes through which Europe rediscovered classical antiquity. Grasp the philosophical spirit of the Renaissance, which brought a sudden interest in the ancient Greeks. Chart the huge influence of Greek mythology on Western art, and how Greek literature was widely disseminated in the West. x

8

The Birth of the Greek Nation-State

Here, follow the struggle of the Greeks under the Ottomans, which became a bloody political movement for Greek independence. See how European intellectuals, artists, and Europe's major powers supported the movement, leading to the founding of the nation-state of Greece in 1830. Track Greece's territorial expansion through the ensuing century, and its tumultuous modern history up to the present. x

9

Greek Mythology: Monsters and Misfits

Delve into the nature and roles of mythology in Greek civilization. Explore the subject matter of Greek myths, as they figure in literature and art. Contemplate the function of mythology, as it helped the Greeks interpret the world and come to terms with the dark side of human experience. In particular, study the figure of the hero, and the features and meaning of the hero's journey. x

10

Greek Religion: Dangerous Gods, Tricky Heroes

For the ancient Greeks, every human activity contained a religious dimension. Examine the underlying worldview of the Greeks' polytheistic religious beliefs, and where we find it represented in literature. Look at each of the major Greek gods, and their characteristic roles and qualities. Grasp the very human moral and psychological attributes of the gods, and what constituted piety and impiety. x

11

The Sensuality of Greek Sculpture

The sublime sculpture of the ancient Greeks is among their most enduring cultural artifacts. Study the six periods of Greek sculpture, from the Archaic through the Classical and Hellenistic. In each, look at masterful examples, noting how the practice of sculpture constantly evolved. Take account of sculptural techniques, and how the sculptors achieved such sensual appeal and expressive power. x

12

The Perfection of Greek Architecture

Study the primary forms of Greek architecture, which emblemize Greek civilization and have profoundly impacted architecture in the West. Visit the Acropolis of Athens as the ancient Greeks would have seen it; take in the magnificent features of the Parthenon, as well as those of other temples and civic structures. Learn also about Greek domestic architecture, house plans, and town planning. x

13

The Monumentality of Greek Painting

Encounter the major styles of Greek vase painting, in examples by master painters such as the Dipylon Master and Exekias, noting their remarkable iconography portraying social ritual, war, and mythological scenes. Learn about black and red figure technique, the use of incised decoration and brushwork, and the superlative qualities of Greek painting in both conception and realization. x

14

Homer's Humanity: The Epic Experience

In exploring the genius of Homer, learn first about the features and tradition of epic poetry. In key excerpts from the Iliad, grasp Homer's great humanity and insight into the human condition. See how the Iliad functions as a meditation on mortality, war, idealism, and loss, and how the Odyssey comprises a journey of self-realization. Witness Homer's enduring influence in the modern world. x

15

Greek Theater: Producing and Staging Plays

Uncover the origins of Greek drama, and how it evolved into the form of a chorus and masked actors. Learn about early theater festivals; the elements of a Greek theater; and how plays were selected, financed, and performed. Finally, study the rituals of theater going, the use of key theatrical devices and stage machinery, and the story of how the Greeks' iconic plays survived into the modern era. x

16

Greek Drama: Laughter and Tears

In this second look at Greek drama, examine individual plays that epitomize the genre of tragedy, such as Aeschylus's Oresteia and Prometheus Bound, Sophocles's Antigone and Oedipus the King, and Euripides's Trojan Women and Medea. Explore the nature of tragedy, its meaning for audiences and existential function in the Greek world. Then investigate the sublime comic plays of Aristophanes. x

17

Greek Politics, Law, and Public Speaking

Radical, participatory democracy was established in Athens in the 5th century B.C.E. Study the mindset and features of Athenian democracy, as it empowered every citizen to speak and vote, and required citizens to participate in civic affairs. Assess ancient and modern critiques of Greek democracy. Then study ancient Athenian legal practice, highlighting the system of trial by jury. x

18

Greek Historians: The Birth of History

Take the measure of two of ancient Greece's greatest historians. Begin with the work of Herodotus, often called the father of history"; grasp the qualities of his history writing, and how he established the first principle of historiography: impartiality. Continue with Thucydides, credited with establishing the discipline of scientific history and the political theory of Realpolitik." x

19

Greek Philosophy: Man and Nature

Look into the origins of the great philosophical tradition within ancient Greece, and the contributions of the early, pre-Socratic philosophers. Then examine the work of the philosophical giants Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, taking account of the core ideas, the teaching methods, and the influence of each. Conclude by exploring two major Greek philosophical traditions: Stoicism and Epicureanism. x

20

Greek Science: Discovery and Controversy

Investigate the many contributions to science of the ancient Greeks, as well as the great obstacles to free inquiry that early scientists faced. Study Greek achievements in astronomy, followed by medicine, highlighting the methods and doctrines of the Hippocratic school. Also learn about the cult of the healing god Asclepius, in which rational inquiry and faith healing existed side by side. x

21

The Greek Way of Waging War

The art of war was integral to ancient Greek culture. Delve into warfare as portrayed in the Iliad, observing the highly ritualistic nature of Homeric combat. Continue with the classical warfare of the hoplites; phalanxes of heavily armed soldiers; and learn about hoplite tactics, strategy, and weaponry. Study Athens's mighty naval forces, and assess the changing rules of battlefield conduct. x

22

Greek Language, Literacy, and Writing

Examine the structure of the ancient Greek language, how it embodies and expresses thought, and how common linguistic devices express the Greek mindset. Learn about the evolution of writing in Greece, and the wealth of information available to us from ancient papyri. Finally, take account of literacy in ancient Greece, and our indebtedness to literate slaves who were copyists and transcribers. x

23

Eating and Drinking among the Greeks

As a final perspective on Greek culture, take a spirited look at Greek food and drink across the ages. Observe how the ancient Greeks ate, considering their diet, meal rituals, staple foods, and a signature Spartan dish. Learn about Greek food today, sampling a spectrum of standout dishes and traditional foods and wines. Then, visualize an ancient symposium," or traditional drinking party." x

24

What Does Greece Mean to Us Today?

Begin this final lecture by reviewing criticisms leveled against the ancient Greeks, and aspects of Greek society which are hot button" issues for the modern world, such as the repression of women and the elitist nature of their society. Conclude with five compelling reasons for studying the Greeks, from their areas of unsurpassed excellence to the beauty and wonder of their civilization." x